As long as there has been motherhood there has been baby advice, some good, some bad, most of it unsolicited. The authors of Planning for Babies Health and Happiness, having patiently
sifted through history’s ample record of child rearing information, new baby observations and parenting tips, present for new mothers and fathers the best, and funniest of that advice. Many
of the remarks in the book are eminently practical such as this one, circa 1960, ＂＂if you force food on them, it may bounce back.＂＂ Much of the advice in Planning for Babies Health and
Happiness is oddly both humorous and serious (much like child rearing itself,) such as these words of wisdom from Elinor Goulding Smith ＂＂It sometimes happens, even in the best of
families, that a baby is born. This is not necessarily cause for alarm. The important thing is to keep your wits about you and borrow some money.＂＂ And some other of the suggestions in
Planning for Babies Health and Happiness can be seen as amusingly old fashioned or downright provocative, depending on your gender or gestation, such as this gem from 1968 ＂＂Take a
little time to consider the things you can do to make his life a little easier while you are away [in the hospital]...(1) Write out a telephone list (2) Leave him a week’s supply of clean
underclothes and shirts (3) Stock the refrigerator with food (4) Arrange for a maid to come in one.＂＂ Planning for Babies Health and Happiness is illustrated attractively from the,
nearly as ample as the advice, wealth of vintage baby and motherhood illustration of the last hundred years or so. This attractive little gift book will be an entertaining distraction and
amusement for the new mother while somewhat surreptitiously providing a lot of solid advice, think of it is Infantainment.
